TRAINING COLLEGE CONCERT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23006, 8 October 1936, Page 18

TRAINING COLLEGE CONCERT

AN ENJOYABLE ENTERTAINMENT

The Little Theatre was filled lo capacity last night for the annual entertainment given by students of the Dunedin Teachers' Training College, assisted by pupils of the Normal School. The programme was <an attractively varied one, and the items earnedN enthusiastic applause. The first portion of the programme was presented by a weH-balanced choir of pupils dra,wn from Standards 111 and IV of the Normal School. The choral numbers presented were "The Captain and the Frenchman" (Dunhill), "Lullaby" (Mozart), and "The Trout" (Schubert). Two pupils of the school were also heard in sweetlyEimg solos. Margaret O'Connell gave a pleasing rendering of Macdowell's " To a Wild Rose," and Arthur Aitken presented with equal effectiveness the solo "Where the Bee Sucks" (Arne). The College Dramatic Society was responsible for the second portion of the night's entertainment, and presented Bernard Shaw's amusing little olay, "How He Lied to Her Husband." The leading role was taken by Miss J. Messent, who gave a creditable performance and displayed a pleasing stage manner. As her wouldbe lover. Mr J. S. Allan had a somewhat difficult part, which he .portrayed well. The part of the husband was entrusted to Mr T. C. Potts, who did not suit the role and was a little too stiff and unnatural.' Taken on the whole, the presentation was a good one. especially when it is considered that the society has not been long in existence. Vocal work comprised the whole of the third portion of the programme, the College Choral Society, under the baton of Mr G. E. Wilkinson, making its first public appearance, and, considering the short time the choir has beer, together, it gave a creditable performance. Its combined numbers were Lang's carol, "Remember O Thou Man." "At the Mid-hour of the Night" (traditional), "Sacramento" (Rowley), "Aftcn Water" (traditional), "Traction Engine (Marchant), and the finale from Act II of Germans "Merrie England." The female voices of the choir were also heard In two numbers, "Lullaby (Brahms) and "Mice" (Lucas). Several individual items were also presented by choir members. Mr W._ J. L. Young gave a pleasing rendering of SchuberPs beautiful "Sailors' Song to the Dioscuri," and it was a pity that he did not respond to an encore. The other soloists, however, did not attain the same standard, those con-

tributing songs being Miss p. Gibb. Mr K. H. S. Allen, and Mr S. M. Mackay. Misses E. M. Sproule and J. Grieve combined attractively in a duet. "I Would That My Love" (Mendelssohn). The outstanding item of the evening was Dunhill's short cantata, "Tubal Cain." which was presented for the first time in Dunedin. In this number the choir sang to the accompaniment of a string orchestra from the Dunedin Orchestral Society under the leadership of Miss S. Bayley. The choir sang this cantata with excellent expression and balance, although the male voices were not up to the strength of those of the female members. The presentation, however, reflected considerable credit both on the conductor (Mr Wilkinson) and the choir itself. In fact, the number was enjoyed so much that the choir was recalled, and repeated the final verse. The accompaniments for the evening were played by Misses M. M'Lachlan and M. King.